People

Susan Grelock Yusem, PhD leads strategy and innovation at Commonweal, weaving together her experience in strategic communication, community psychology, and regenerative systems. A trained depth psychologist and community psychologist with a doctorate from Pacifica Graduate Institute, Susan brings psychological depth to collaborative leadership, particularly in narrative design, creative development, and building resilient organizations.

Susan's career has unfolded at the forefront of the organic and regenerative food movement. She led marketing for Patagonia's regenerative food startup division and guided communications and marketing at Amy's Kitchen, a pioneering B Corp. Her roots in this work trace back to the early days of Whole Foods Market and the food co-op movement, where she first discovered how food, community, and values come together.

At Commonweal, Susan is part of the stewardship team helping lead strategic initiatives for the organization. She provides support across the 30+ programs Commonweal hosts, with particular focus on the Omega Resilience Award program. She is also a host for Commonweal's The New School, has hosted writing retreats, and is currently exploring radical hospitality—how we create welcome through home, food, and community. As an ecopsychologist, she's particularly drawn to bringing the sensibilities of depth psychology into everyday life and group settings.

Susan lives in Point Reyes Station, California, where she's deeply connected to the land and waters of West Marin, especially Point Reyes National Seashore. You'll often find her hiking, trail running, or swimming in this place she loves. She's an avid reader, writer, and cook who celebrates the ways we gather, nourish, and create meaning together.